This invention relates to an aircraft ejection seat safety device and, more particularly, the invention is concerned with providing a device for attachment to an ejection seat to prevent accidental arming of the seat when the seat is tilted forward during routine maintenance and/or repair work on the avionics systems in the seat area.
Heretofore, in order to maintain the ejection seat on a high performance aircraft in the safe configuration, it has been necessary to install seat arming lever safety pins in the seat structure to prevent the arm/dearm lever from being accidentally armed. Although this arrangement is satisfactory as long as the ejection seat is not tilted, if any maintenance or repair work needs to be done to any of the avionic systems behind and under the seat, the seat must be tilted. However, the seat cannot be tilted with the safety pin in position because the pin contacts the lefthand console and prevents further movement. Thus, in order to do the required work in the seat area either the entire seat with its canopy must be lifted out of the aircraft or the safety pin must be taken out of position. Obviously, the removal of the seat and canopy is a time consuming, burdensome and costly undertaking. Likewise, working in the seat area with the safety pin out is not recommended because the arm/dearm lever on the ejection seat will then be in position to arm by accident or otherwise.
Another drawback to the presently used system for safetying the ejection seat is that the arming lever safety pin can be installed when the seat arming lever is in either the safe position or the armed position. This gives a false impression of safety if the lever should happen to be in an armed position resulting in another dangerous condition. It would be most desirable to provide a device which could be placed in position after the safety pin is removed and which would serve the same purpose as the safety pin. The device would prevent the arm/dearm lever from arming while at the same time allowing the seat to be fully tilted without being obstructed by the left hand console.